Tag: Ministry of Justice

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 28 May 2026.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the further appointment without competition of Tim De Meyer as policing member of the Sentencing Council from 1 July 2026 until the earlier of the date of the appointment of his successor or 30 June 2027.

Ministers consulted the Commissioner for Public Appointments before making this appointment without competition. This is to ensure continuity of essential policing expertise on the Council while a full recruitment exercise is undertaken.

Biography

Tim De Meyer has 28 years of policing experience across a range of operational and strategic roles. He has served in the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police. In 2023, he was appointed Chief Constable of Surrey Police. Since 2019, Tim has held the National Police Chiefs’ Council portfolio lead for Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act Disclosure, contributing to national policy and practice through the Criminal Justice Coordination Committee.

He has declared no political activity.

The Sentencing Council for England and Wales was established to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing, while maintaining the independence of the judiciary. The primary role of the council is to issue guidelines on sentencing, which the courts must follow unless it is in the interests of justice not to do so.

The appointment of non-judicial members of the Sentencing Council, is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 28 May 2026.

The Deputy Prime Minister, in his capacity as Secretary of State, has approved the re-appointment of Dr Jake Hard and Professor Seena Fazel as members of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody for a period of 3 years from 1 July 2026 for Dr Jake Hard, and 1 October 2026 for Professor Seena Fazel.  

Established in 2009, the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody (IAPDC) forms part of the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Detention in England and Wales. The IAPDC provides expert advice and challenge to Ministers, departments, and agencies with the central aim of preventing deaths in detention.

This appointment is made by the Secretary of State for Justice in consultation with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office, who co-sponsor and co-fund the IAPDC.

Appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biographies

Professor Seena Fazel

Professor Fazel is the Professor of Forensic Psychiatry and Director of the Centre for Suicide Research at the University of Oxford. He is an honorary consultant forensic psychiatrist for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and works clinically in a community forensic mental health team. His main research interests are in relation to suicidal behaviour in prisoners, the mental health of prisoners, and risk assessment in criminal justice and mental health. 

Dr Jake Hard

Dr Hard is a GP with over 19 years’ experience of working in prison and is the Associate Clinical Director for the South West Prisons, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. He was the Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners Secure Environments Group from 2016 to 2022 and has published work with the IAPDC.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 22 May 2026.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice has confirmed that Lynne Berry CBE is his preferred candidate for the role of Chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission.

The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) is the statutory body that identifies candidates for judicial roles in England and Wales. They also help fill positions for several specialist tribunals with UK-wide powers.  

Lynne Berry CBE has been selected as the preferred candidate for the role of JAC Chair following a rigorous assessment process conducted in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments and the Judicial Appointments Commission Regulations 2013.

The role is subject to pre-appointment hearing by the Justice Select Committee. Pre-appointment scrutiny is an important part of the appointment process for some of the most significant public appointments made by Ministers. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to the appointment process. Pre-appointment hearings are held in public and allow a Select Committee to take evidence before a candidate is appointed. Ministers consider the Committee’s views before deciding whether to proceed with the appointment.

Biography

Lynne Berry CBE is currently Chair of Governors and Pro-Chancellor at the University of Westminster, Chair of the Human Tissue Authority, and visiting Professor in Leadership at Bayes Business School, City St George’s, University of London. She has served as Chair or Senior Independent Director of many public sector and not-for-profit bodies and has held several Chief Executive posts in public bodies, including the Charity Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the General Social Care Council, as well as in charities such as the Royal Voluntary Service and the Family Welfare Association.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 18 May 2026.

Children and young people will get earlier support to steer them away from crime under a major overhaul of the youth justice system unveiled by the Government today (Monday 18 May).

• Landmark reforms will intervene earlier and stop more young people falling into crime.
• Parents and carers to face tougher accountability when children offend.
• New youth intervention courts to tackle repeat offenders.
• Part of Government action to cut crime and create safer streets.

Published by the Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, a new Youth Justice White Paper provides the blueprint for earlier intervention, more targeted support, and tackling the root causes of youth crime to create safer communities and fewer victims.

The announcement comes as figures show eight out of ten prolific offenders committed their first crime as a child, while two-thirds of those released from custody reoffend within a year.

New measures announced today include piloting new Youth Intervention Courts, which will for the first time bring together judges, youth justice services and specialist support to tackle the drivers of offending and keep young people on track. The courts will also provide intensive supervision and tailored interventions, including health or educational requirements, while closely monitoring compliance to break cycles of repeat reoffending.

Parents and carers will also face greater responsibility for children who commit crime or cause anti-social behaviour, recognising the vital role families play in reducing reoffending. The Government will strengthen and expand Parenting Orders, which can compel parents or guardians to address their child’s behaviour – including attending counselling or guidance sessions – or face penalties such as fines.

The move comes after the use of Parenting Orders declined dramatically, from more than 1,000 in 2009/10 to just 33 in 2022/23.

There will also be a greater emphasis on addressing children who present the highest risk of committing the most serious and violent offences. Ministers will explore strengthening Youth Rehabilitation Orders with intensive supervision and surveillance, allowing electronic monitoring to track their whereabouts alongside robust rehabilitation activity to keep the public safe. However, the Government is clear custody will always remain essential for the most dangerous offenders.

Crucially, the reforms look to modernise the youth justice system, ensuring it keeps pace with new and emerging risks faced by today’s children including online harms, exploitation and rising vulnerability.

Further measures set out in the White Paper include:

• An extra £15.4 million per year investment in the Government’s flagship Turnaround programme to help a further 12,000 children at risk of entering the youth justice system, over the next three years. As of December 2024, just 7% of children who had completed Turnaround interventions had gone on to receive a sentence or caution.
• Fundamental reform of the youth out-of-court resolution framework, setting out our proposals in autumn 2026.
• Taking a fundamental look at the function and purpose of criminal courts for child defendants, reporting by August 2027.
• A commitment to end unnecessary custodial remand for children – slashing its use by 25% this Parliament to ensure children awaiting trial or sentencing are not held unless public protection requires it, backed by £5 million for robust community alternatives.
• Widening the range of tough community sentences available to the courts and reducing ineffective short custodial sentences – which combined with remand reforms could reduce the youth custodial population by 20%.
• Consulting on childhood criminal records reform by the end of the year. This will consider potentially ending lifelong disclosure requirements for childhood offences so people aren’t forever held back by mistakes made as children.
• Delivering on the commitment to create a new child criminal exploitation offence – going after the adults who prey on children and draw them into offending.

Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy said:

Too many young people are being drawn into crime, with devastating consequences for victims, communities and their own futures.

These reforms lay the foundation to intervene far earlier, support families, and tackle the drivers of offending so fewer young people become trapped in cycles of crime, creating safer streets and fewer victims.

Minister for Sentencing and Youth Justice, Jake Richards, said:

Put simply, the youth justice system is not working – not for children, victims and communities blighted by crime.

These reforms will modernise the system, keep pace with emerging risks and ensure young offenders get the support they need to turn their lives around, while improving public safety.

The reforms announced today are backed by figures which show more than two-thirds of children released from custody reoffend within a year, but just over one-third of children sentenced to community sentences reoffended.

In addition, following sustained efforts across the system for many years, the number of children entering the youth justice system has fallen significantly. The result is a far more complex cohort of children, many victims of exploitation and with extensive offending histories including serious offences.

 The White Paper seeks to address this challenge head on – ensuring the youth justice system intervenes earlier, is firmer where necessary, and is consistently focussed on preventing harm.

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said:

As Children’s Commissioner, I have consistently been clear about the need to reform the youth justice system. We must build an approach that keeps children safe, diverts them from crime wherever possible, and prioritises meaningful behaviour change.

Education is central to this. It is the most powerful tool we have to prevent offending in the first place, and it remains vital for those in Young Offender Institutions who have already fallen through the cracks. I am therefore pleased to welcome the Youth Justice White Paper published today, and that I have been asked to undertake a review of the education children in YOIs receive, with the aim of improving outcomes and giving these children a better chance for the future.

Anti-knife crime campaigner and founder of Fazamnesty, Faron Paul, said:

Fazamnesty welcomes the Government’s proactive approach in the Youth Justice White Paper, which focuses on early intervention, prevention, and support for young people facing growing pressures and exploitation. Prevention is always better than cure. By working together with organisations like Fazamnesty and other community groups, we can help guide young people away from crime and create safer communities for everyone.

These reforms build on recent Government action to tackle the most serious issues affecting young people including knife crime and violence against women and girls.

Every child in England and Wales caught carrying a knife will now be given a mandatory specialised plan to stop them reoffending, part of the Government’s commitment to halve knife crime within a decade.

Meanwhile, the Government’s violence against women and girls strategy seeks to better protect girls from abuse and steer young boys away from harmful misogynistic influences.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 15 May 2026.

Measures will help separating families save cash and settle childcare issues more easily.

• Up to £500 for separating families to settle childcare and money matters without going to Court as Government scheme extended.
• New digital tools to make it easier for parents to find the right help at the right time.
• Part of government’s plan to support families and deliver faster, fairer justice.

Separating families will save hundreds of pounds, face less stress and be able to move on with their lives quicker thanks to crucial Government action.

Today (15 May), Justice Minister Baroness Levitt KC confirmed that the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme will be extended for another year – giving separating families £500 towards their mediation costs to help them solve issues around childcare and finances without going to court.

Made possible by over £7m a year in Government funding, the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme has already supported more than 54,000 parents since it launched in 2021.

The Government has also rolled out a series of new digital tools on GOV.UK, making it easier than ever for parents to find the right help at the right time. These include:

• The “Child Arrangement Planner” – a digital alternative dispute resolution service helping separating families agree practical arrangements for their children on GOV.UK.
• The “Get Help Finding a Child Arrangement Option” – a triage service which helps users identify the most suitable path to resolution based on their circumstances.
• A redesign of GOV.UK content for separating families, making it clearer and easier to use to encourage families to settle disputes outside of Court where appropriate.

The package is a key part of the government’s plan to help families save money and turn the page after separation by settling disputes more quickly and more easily outside of court.

Justice Minister Baroness Levitt KC said:

Separation is one of the hardest moments in any family’s life. The last thing parents need is a slow, costly court fight that drags out the pain, particularly for their children.

Our actions put families back in control. We are producing simple online tools and clear advice on GOV.UK which, taken together with the non-means tested £500 mediation voucher, will help parents to sort things out more quickly, with less stress and lower cost.

The changes build on the Government’s recent decision to expand Child Focused Courts – formerly known as Pathfinder Courts – across England and Wales. Child Focused Courts have been highly successful during their trial period in several areas. In particular, in some of the pilot areas, Family Court backlogs have halved and cases are being resolved up to seven and a half months faster,  sparing children and families prolonged uncertainty.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 7 May 2026.

The Lord Chancellor and Deputy Prime Minister, Lady Chief Justice and Senior President of Tribunals have reappointed Sir Richard Broadbent as Chair of the Board of HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) for 1 year until 30 April 2027.

The HMCTS Board is responsible for overseeing the leadership and direction of HMCTS and plays a vital role in making sure the organisation effectively delivers the aims and objectives set by the Lord Chancellor, the Lady Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals.

Biography

Sir Richard Broadbent was appointed Chair of the HMCTS Board on 1 May 2023.

He spent fifteen years working at senior levels in business, serving as Chairman of Arriva plc, Tesco plc, Deputy Chairman of Barclays plc and, in the public sector, as Chairman of HM Customs and Excise.

Prior to this, he spent fifteen years working in the City as a corporate adviser and subsequently a Managing Director at Schroders plc. He began his career in the Treasury and subsequently attended Stanford Business School as a Harkness Fellow.

He has also worked in academia, the third sector and manages a small business in farming.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 7 May 2026.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointments, for 3 years, of Sanaz Saifolahi, Jennifer McCarthy and Peace Egbulefu as members of the Tribunal Procedure Committee.

Sanaz Saifolahi’s tenure will start on 1 June 2026. The tenures of Jennifer McCarthy and Peace Egbulefu will commence on 3 July 2026.

Sanaz Saifolahi

Sanaz Saifolahi is a barrister specialising in immigration, asylum, human rights and public law. In addition, Ms Saifolahi also delivers training on all aspects of immigration and asylum law.

In 2024, Ms Saifolahi was appointed as a Legal Aid Review Panel Member for a 5-year term. In 2026, Ms Saifolahi was appointed by The Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service as a disciplinary panel member, also to sit as a Inns’ Conduct Committee panel member for a 3-year term. She has declared no political activity.

Jennifer McCarthy

Ms McCarthy is a specialist Employment Law Solicitor who has been representing clients on complex matters in the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal for over 25 years. She is also an accredited Mediator. She has declared no political activity.

Peace Egbulefu

Ms Egbulefu is a senior legal professional with over ten years’ experience working across disputes, civil and criminal procedure, and tribunal practice. She is a qualified Solicitor Advocate with experience across administrative law, procedural compliance, and complex multi-party proceedings, and brings active engagement with digitalisation and access to justice initiatives to the Committee. She has declared no political activity.

The TPC was established by the Tribunals, Courts, and Enforcement Act 2007 (TCEA). It makes rules governing the practice and procedure in the First-tier Tribunal, the Upper Tribunal, and the Employment Tribunals.

These appointments are made under the TCEA and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 1 May 2026.

His Majesty the King, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, has approved the appointments of 6 new Commissioners of the Criminal Cases Review Commission. The appointments are for 3 years from 7 April 2026 to 6 April 2029. Details of the new Commissioners are provided below.  

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) was established by the Criminal Appeal Act 1995 and commenced operation in 1997. The CCRC considers – on application – cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where a miscarriage of justice is alleged or suspected. The CCRC decides if there is any new evidence or new argument which raises a real possibility that an appeal court would quash a conviction or reduce a sentence.

The appointment of CCRC Commissioners is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment and reappointment processes comply with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Appointments of CCRC Commissioners are made by His Majesty the King on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, who receives advice from the Lord Chancellor.

Biographies

• Joelle Black is a practising barrister in Northern Ireland with specialist experience in independent decision making in domestic and international criminal justice. She has an extensive background in criminal law from both her tenure as prosecutor at various levels within the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, and her current private practice wherein she specialises in judicial review in a criminal context.
• Maxine Cole is a Solicitor-Advocate with an LLM in Criminal Justice and over 20 years practising criminal law. A former Senior Crown Prosecutor and Police Lawyer, she serves as a Tribunal Member of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and sits as a Deputy Chairman/Fee paid Tribunal Judge and Chair of a Fitness to Practice Panel.
• Jared Ficklin is a Manchester based barrister with a background mainly in immigration and asylum law. He currently sits in the First tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) and the Employment Tribunal. He was previously  a lecturer at the University of Liverpool Law Clinic.
• Andrew Hoyle is dual qualified as a registered doctor and a practising barrister, called to the bar in 2006, specialising in medical law, clinical negligence and professional regulatory law. He is an Assistant Director in Fitness to Practise at the General Medical Council where he leads the statutory decision makers who determine, at the end of the GMC’s investigation, whether a case closes or goes forward to a fitness to practise tribunal.
• James Lucas is a registered medical practitioner and previously practised as an expert witness in the criminal justice system.  He has held roles across academia, the public and private sectors, and currently sits as a medical member in the tribunals arena.
• Martha Spurrier is a barrister and policy expert specialising in human rights at Doughty Street Chambers. From 2016 – 2024 Martha was the Director of Liberty, the UK’s leading human rights advocacy organisation. She is a Visiting Professor of Law at Goldsmiths University, a Trustee of the Museum of Homelessness and an Editorial Board Member of the European Human Rights Law Review.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 16 April 2026.

Specialist staff, tougher disciplinary action and bolstered security measures will be deployed at HMP Woodhill to reduce violence, combat drugs and improve safety.

• Action plan to target violence, drugs and poor conditions at Buckinghamshire jail.
• Extra staff support, training and security measures to help stabilise the prison
• Education, rehabilitation and preparation for release to be strengthened

The Government has launched a comprehensive action plan to address serious failings at the jail after His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) issued an Urgent Notification in March.

Inspectors found high levels of violence, with drugs far too easily available and some of the highest rates of self-harm in the estate.

In response, Ministers have acted to roll out a comprehensive plan to improve safety and conditions, strengthen staff capability and deliver better outcomes for prisoners.

This includes a new safety strategy to better spot and support those at risk of self-harm, while stronger security measures including new physical barriers such as wires and window grilles will be installed to stop the flow of illicit items using drones. 

Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, Lord James Timpson, said:

The prison crisis we inherited has left too many jails struggling with violence, drugs and poor conditions.

This action plan sets out the decisive steps we are taking to improve safety, tackle drugs and drones, and get more prisoners into the education and training they need to leave crime behind.

We are putting more staff on the ground and backing HMP Woodhill with the investment it needs to improve, as we continue to fix the broken prison system we inherited to deliver punishment that works to cut crime.

A new living unit will also be introduced – where offenders are incentivised to keep off substances  – helping reduce the demand for drugs. This is in addition to recruitment of specialist staff dedicated to supporting prisoners dealing with addiction.

The action plan also sets out refurbishments and a renewed focus on cleanliness to improve conditions. Meanwhile rehabilitation efforts will be strengthened through greater access to the education and work opportunities offenders rely on to turn their lives around.

A new governor appointed in 2025 has already begun work to stabilise HMP Woodhill, supported by regional and national teams, including a dedicated taskforce focused on improving performance across the Long Term and High Security Estate.

More widely, the Government is building 14,000 extra prison places – with more than 3100 already delivered – and reforming sentencing to ensure punishment cuts crime and dangerous can always be locked up to keep streets safe.

Notes to editors

• The Urgent Notification process was introduced in 2017 to ensure immediate action is taken to address the most serious concerns identified by inspectors.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 16 April 2026.

Victims across London will see justice delivered faster and fairer as Harrow Crown Court reopens in a major Government drive to cut court backlogs.

• £26m cash boost brings Harrow Crown Court back after three‑year RAAC shutdown
• Eight courtrooms set to hear cases as Government looks to cut criminal backlogs
• Part of the Government’s plan to deliver faster and fairer justice for victims across London

Thousands of victims across London will see justice delivered faster and fairer as the RAAC‑hit Harrow Crown Court reopens in a major Government drive to cut court backlogs. 

Eight courtrooms, with some newly refurbished, are back in action following a £26 million safety overhaul, after the building was forced to shut in August 2023 amid fears over crumbling concrete. 

Before it was forced to shut, the court was handling hundreds of cases a year. Bringing it back at full strength will supercharge capacity for criminal trials, easing pressure on neighbouring courts and helping to get dangerous criminals locked up sooner. 

This week the Courts Minister, Sarah Sackman, visited the newly reopened site — a modernised court building fitted with the latest technology and designed to deliver faster, fairer and more transparent justice. 

The move comes against a stark backdrop, with the latest figures showing some London victims — particularly in rape cases — are waiting until 2030 for their day in court, while more than 19,000 cases are currently awaiting trial across the capital.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services Sarah Sackman KC said:  

We inherited a justice system in crisis — backlogs at record levels, courts left to crumble, and victims waiting far too long for justice. 

Reopening Harrow Crown Court is a major boost to London’s overstretched court system, cutting delays and getting justice moving again for Londoners.

Built in 1991, the court was closed after RAAC was uncovered and the building deemed unsafe. Its reopening marks a key milestone in the Government’s drive to modernise courts and bring cases to court faster in the capital. 

Wheelchair accessible and equipped with the latest courtroom technology, the hearing rooms are greener, more efficient and flexible enough to handle a wide range of cases — maximising the number of hearings that can take place each day. 

London Victims Commissioner Andrea Simon said:  

Victims are waiting years for their day in court, and even when they get there are often faced with a difficult and trauma-inducing experience. 

The re-opening of Harrow Crown Court not only brings some capacity back into the system, but the investment in modernising the court will I hope lead to a better and more supportive experience for victims. 

The Government also invested £148.5 million in court maintenance funding last year, with a further £287 million this year to repair and modernise courts across England and Wales, alongside recruiting up to 1,000 new judges and tribunal members to speed up cases and deliver fairer, faster justice for victims.